Michel Platini has warned UEFA members that Europe is on the verge of returning to “the dark days of hooliganism”.
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Recent months have seen riots in Rome, Eindhoven, and Milan in the aftermath of Champions League and Europa League ties, and Platini has claimed that unless these fresh outbreaks are stopped in their tracks, there could be serious consequences.
“In recent months we have all been struck by certain images that I thought were a thing of the past,” he said. “Football has increasingly had to deal with issues of extremism and nationalism.
“It’s getting worse. More racism, more homophobic acts. Some things we can’t manage on our own. Nobody wants a repeat of such events. We need tougher stadium bans at European level and the creation of a European sports police force.”
He failed to outline further details such as how such a force would be managed and funded.